Nan Hauser

And I could see a couple of whales in the distance and they were close to the reef.

And so we went over and I slid in.

I had my GoPro, I had on a wet skin and went over the side.

The question of danger is very real.

When I first started working with them underwater, I was pretty scared.

You don't realize how big they are until you're right up next to them and they can take their tail fluke or peck fin or their body to smack you and you'd be dead.

Your bones would be broken and your organs would rupture or you would just drown.

You do have to be really careful because each one has their own personality.

And some will be a little more aggressive, especially the juvenile males.

Some will be more curious and some will be more allowing.

But again, I let them come to me and I don't go to them.

But he didn't stop.

He just kept coming.

And it wasn't like he was coming slowly.

He was coming full speed ahead.

I put my hand out to cushion the blow.

He immediately just kept pushing me and then put his head underneath me and I was sitting on top of his head.

Then he flipped over and I rolled on his head and I was sitting on his throat.

He wouldn't let me go.

My grandmother was 103 and she always used to say to me, please don't be swallowed by a whale.